My Angel, Forever
by Lady-Kinsei
Summary: First story in my new series, 'The Lovers.' Squall thinks to himself about Rinoa and his feelings about her... I've never wrote a fic like this one, I'm really used to writing chapter stories... so be gentle! R&R! Note: Squinoa!


**Disclaimer:**I don't own any Final Fantasy 8 characters. *sigh* So what else is new...?  
  
  
  
  


**My Angel, Forever**

  
  
  
  
  


Lone Wolf Leonhart.  
  


That's what I'm known as here in Balamb Garden...  
  


I guess I've been known as that ever since before I can remember. Not like I care, though...  
  


I just wonder how the hell I got to be so damn predictable. Instructor Trepe can finish almost every single one of my sentances; and she's not the only one. Hell, everyone I've ever even _looked_ at thinks they have me figured out.  
  


Selphie thinks I'm unreachable...  
  


Quistis thinks I'm passive...  
  


Irvine thinks of me as his 'Little Brother' in the 'Feilds of Love...'  


Zell thinks I'm some sort of God.  
  


Seifer--well--he thinks I'm an asshole...  
  


But... Rinoa... She doesn't think any of those things...  
  


She... I don't really know how to say this... She doesn't just jump in and assume things about me. She actually _tries_ to understand me by talking to me... Spending time with me... Actually listening to me...  
  


Not that anyone else doesn't listen to me, they just don't _hear_ me. She's the only one who hears what I want to say. No matter how silent I may be, no matter how much I push myself away from others, no matter what others may think, she always, _always_ knows that there is something that I want to say or hear... She hears me... She understands me...  
  


Why she understands me so well, or _how_ she understands me so well, I have absolutely _no_ idea... And even though I get annoyed by it, at times, I'm happy that she knows me so well...  
  


I've known that ever since the moment our eyes met. Ever since she gave me that smile and dragged me onto the dance floor at the Inaguration Ball. I tell ya, _nothing_ felt more right than that... Just the sensation of her hand in mine... The warmth of her form when I wrapped my hand around her waist... When that music slowed and we were pressed together, so close I could smell her hair. With one move I could have sealed my emotions with a sweet kiss... I've just never realized it until... until that horrible day...  
  


...We had to face her sooner or later, but facing Matron was harder than I had imagined. Not because she was the only 'Mother' I had ever known, but because she was so strong with her magic... And at the very end of the battle, after Rinoa had summoned a final spell and defeated her, something happened...  
  
  
  


_**Flashback**_  
  
  


Edea looked up at us once the light from Rinoa's spell had died down. "...Zell? ...Squall? Quistis, Selphie, Irvine... What happened...?" she asked, confused.  
  


I slowly took a step towards her, and felt a soft hand graze my arm gently. I looked to my left, Rinoa...? I couldn't help but seeing how beautiful she was, even in this situation. Her bangs slightly covered her chocolate eyes and her eyebrows were tilted up slightly in concern, "Be careful," she whispered.  
  


I nodded slightly, my eyes never leaving hers. I kept my usual frown, but my eyes revealed how much I...loved her...  
  


"Matron...?" I heard Zell's voice snap me out of my daze and looked back to the defeated Sorceress. "Are you alright?"  
  


She weakly stood up, "I... I'm not sure... I feel so..." Suddenly, she began glowing in a black auric light and screamed in pain. "AHHHH!!!"  
  


"Wha-What's happening?!" I heard Rinoa scream in fear.  
  


The light died down and all seemed well. There was an akward silence. And, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a black thundercloud conjure above Rinoa, small thunderheads forming. "RINOA!!!" I screamed, she spun around as a bolt of white lightning struck her. Now, it was her turn to scream.  
  


I rushed up to her as she fell and caught her; she held onto me weakly, as if trying to find the strength to stand on her own. "...Rinoa?" As many times as I tried to wake her, she would not.  
  
  


_**End Flashback**_  
  
  
  


After that day, I had waited and waited all week in the Infirmary. Never leaving her side, once. I gazed at her all of that time, sleeping next to her bed, barely eating anything. I just stared at her, my eyes filling with tears every moment. And, on the seventh night of her unconciousness, I snuck out of my dorm, into the Infirmary, and--when I had taken her hand in mine--I had done something I had never done before. Cried.  
  


Yes, it is true that I had taken her all the way to Esthar on my back, and took her up to space like that. When she was floating out in space, about to die, I threw myself out there, not caring if _I_ lived or died, but if _she_ got through this alive.  
  


Thank God for the Ragnarok... That was one of the best nights in my life, even though I was scared stiff... She felt so warm... Sitting in my lap like that... I could hold her close to me, I could breathe in her sweet scent with every breath I took, I could feel her fingers intertwined with mine... But in the back of my mind, I was thinking 'Please sit down somewhere else... Please sit down somewhere else...' My heart was pounding the whole time, I just wished that she would sit in her own seat... I knew that I was enjoying it too much...  
  


God, that feeling was scary... But I don't mind so much, not anymore... Now that the battle against Ultimecia is over, and I know that I won't loose Rinoa again, I can think clearly... I was perfectly aware that I could have easily lost her after that battle, when we were separated, and I had almost died... I could have very easily lost her... But I hadn't... I'm alive, and I stand at the Ballroom's entrance, staring at Rinoa's form at the balcony. I love her... It's time she knew, I thought.  
  


I flicked a few strands of my messy brown hair away from my eyes and took a deep breath before walking to the balcony. This is it, I thought nervously. It's gotta be tonight...I knew that as well as anyone else would in my same situation. I wore no gloves tonight, I felt no need for there to be a barrier of leather between us. Not anymore...  
  


She looked over her shoulder at me once I had reached the balcony door. She smiled, nothing was said. Nothing needed to be; we just stared into each other's eyes as I walked up next to her and placed my hands on the stone railing on the balcony.  
  


Still keeping that beautiful smile on her face, she pointed to the sky, just like she had the night when we first met. I looked up to the sky, the stars shining like diamonds on black velvet. And, as if on cue, a beautiful shooting star flew across the sky in a brilliant spectacle. I was falling in love with her all over again...  
  


I looked over at her and she at me, our eyes met. I smiled, for the first time in years, I actually smiled. It felt so...good. So...right.  
  


I heard her gasp slightly. Her cheeks turned pink slightly, highlighting the light of the moon on her face. She looked down with a sheepish smile on her face. I slowly brushed a few soft strands of her raven hair behind her ear, feeling so happy that I hadn't worn my gloves tonight; she looked up at me shyly.  
  


I found myself slowly moving closer to her as I gently stroked her silky hair. Soft, as I had imagined, just like soft, downy angel feathers. I rested my forehead against hers and wrapped my other arm around her waist, she feels so warm...  
  


I felt her hands on my arms, slowly slipping up the leather of my jacket and around my neck. I stared straight into her half-open eyes, seeing warmth and happiness inside. And one more emotion, that I could have sworn on a stack of Bibles that it was the same feeling I had; love.  
  


Everything seemed to go in slow motion, then. I pulled her close to me, her eyes closed... I felt her lips brush up against mine... I parted from her slightly, not wanting this to end... But it can only get better, I realized...  
  


After what seemed like an eternity, I gently pressed my lips against hers, feeling as if my heart had jumped out of my chest at her soft touch, like the brush of an angel wing against my face. I never wanted this moment to end, not ever. But, I knew that it had to eventually. Sadly, I felt as if it were coming soon, regardless of all the things I felt from Rinoa's kiss. Warm, gentle, and pure...That's what I felt from her kiss... Mine was of true love, with a hidden passion that my heart ached to let loose. But not now, just let me hold onto this for a little longer...  
  


I think I heard someone coming into the ballroom, but I didn't care if someone was watching, if anyone. Rinoa was with me now, and that was all that mattered. I felt Rinoa pull away as the person's footsteps grew closer, but I immediately pulled her back into my arms. It was almost as if I was torn in half when our lips were apart. When we kissed, I felt so complete. So right...  
  


Quite a bit of time had passed before we parted again, I guess this time, I was actually ready. We held on tight to each other, I was speachless. Never before had I felt something like that... Never before had I been so... I don't know the word. But there is one thing that I _do_ know...  
  


"I love you," I whispered to her.  
  


She smiled sheepishly, "I love you," she whispered back. I smiled and we melted into another passionate kiss. I love you, I kept on repeating in my mind to her. And I truly did, too. But, now, I know for sure that she will always be the one I love. My angel, forever...  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
